Google to let you check flight statuses, package info in the near future

If you want to know whether your flight is delayed or where exactly that package you ordered a few days ago is, you could soon be able to just Google it.

In an official blog post, the internet giant says you’ll be able to find this info instantly in Google Search if it’s in your Gmail, Google Calendar or Google+.

Over the next few days, it says, it will be rolling out a number of new features to US English-speaking users, including:

• Flights: Ask Google “Is my flight on time?” to get info on your upcoming flights and live status on your current flights.
• Reservations: Ask for “my reservations” to see your dining plans or “my hotel” to get your hotel name and address. With one tap, you can get driving or public transit directions straight there, saving you lots of steps.
• Purchases: Ask for “my purchases,” and you’ll get the status of your current orders, so you know whether your mom’s birthday present will arrive on time.
• Plans: Ask Google “What are my plans for tomorrow?” to see a summary of upcoming flights, hotels, restaurant reservations and events — very useful when you’re traveling.
• Photos: Say “Show me my photos from Thailand” to see the photos you uploaded to Google+. You can also ask for “my photos of sunsets” if you want to show off the shots you’ve taken over the year; Google will try to automatically recognize the type of photo you’re asking for.

As Google notes, it’s been offering these features on Google Now for the last few months, but the tweaks are meant to make it a little easier to use.

The company also seems pretty keen to alleviate any privacy fears people might have over the new features.

“This information is just for you—secure, via encrypted connection, and visible only to you when you’re signed in to Google,” says product manager Roy Livne. “Likewise, you can also control whether you want the service on or off”.